MISSION STATEMENT
“Artistic Resource for Teachers and Students, (A.R.T.S.) Inc. a nonprofit collaboration of Education, Business, and Community since 1959, committed to strengthening the influence of Fine Arts in our children’s education.”
VISION
“Preserving human connection through the arts.”
Brief background/description of our organization:
A.R.T.S., Inc., formerly known as Young Audiences of Utah, now in its sixty-fourth year of operation, was founded in 1959 by Camille S. Pembroke which brought Utah Symphony musicians into the Salt Lake City public schools. With the great success of this project, by 1961 programming expanded to include all public schools in Salt Lake and Davis Counties. All forty-one Utah school districts have experienced our programming, reaching more than 300 schools each year with professional arts and education programming. A.R.T.S., Inc. is a leading source of arts and education for the State of Utah, reaching more than 200,000 individuals annually. It is our goal to help a broad network of fine arts’ organizations to play an active role in children’s development. Working collectively we assist educators, parents, and communities to provide a teaching and learning environment where children discover the joys of learning through the arts. A.R.T.S., Inc. provides Arts and Education programming that not only entertains and educates, but is an excellent support for the Utah State Core-Curriculum.
Summary/Description of the program:
Our professional artists, the finest in the state, are required to be not only of the highest entertainment quality but also give students educational structure, content, and historical information. Performing groups qualify yearly to maintain standards and certification through school districts fine arts specialists and the A.R.T.S., Inc. board of directors. Service includes two back-to-back assemblies, one forty-minute program for lower grades (K-3) and another for upper grades (4-6). Question and answer periods will be provided if time and scheduling permits. Lesson plans and evaluation forms are sent to each school, so teachers may familiarize students’ with the subjects implemented before and after their presentation.
As an organization we strive to have 100% of our donated funding go directly into the school performances for artistic fees and student program materials. Each school is charged a minimal fee to cover our administrative costs. From Logan to Salt Lake and from Provo to St. George, each school is charged the same minimal fee because we feel each school needs to feel a value for the fine arts. If programming is always free that is how it is always perceived – worthless…!
By the end of the 2022-2023 school years A.R.T.S., Inc. provided programming to more than half of all elementary aged children in the State of Utah. This is primarily due to increased support from The George S. & Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Salt Lake County Zoo Arts and Parks Program and appropriated funding from the Utah State Legislature.
Brief description of the project’s target population:
For the past sixty-three years the focused target population for the organization has been elementary-aged students. Through the fine arts, it is our objective to see that all students leave grades K through 6 having displayed competency over challenging subject matter including English, Mathematics, Science, Foreign Language, Economics, Arts, History and Geography. By using the arts a tool for learning, it is our aspiration that every school in the State of Utah will ensure that all students learn to be attentive and appreciative young audiences. Children must learn to use their minds effectively, so they may be more prepared for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment in our modern economy. The greatest responsibility we have a society is to educate our children and give them a well rounded education – including the fine arts. With the increased presence of technology and social media, it is essential that we preserve in-person human connection.
Brief description of plans for evaluating the effectiveness of the program:
Parents, teachers, principals, students, and administrators evaluate each and every school performance. Evaluation forms are distributed through each district office to schools involved in the project. The A.R.T.S., Inc. Artistic Advisory Committee and Education Committee members attend programs in the schools to assure the artistic and education quality is maintained with each performer. Under the board and committee’s direction, programs are closely analyzed to ensure performances are both meeting core standards and are engaging for children.
The community is always invited to view our programs in the schools or online. With the feedback for these individuals and collectively working together it is our goal to see that all students have an opportunity to achieve excellence in all academic subjects through performance in Music, Theatre, Dance, Visual Arts, Media Arts, and Creative Writing/Listening programs.